Egypt's National Press Authority has denied reports the websites of a number of state-owned newspapers have been permanently closed down to lower expenditure on electronic media,  saying these sites have been temporarily closed for security updates in the wake of attempts to hack some of the sites, Al-Ahram Arabic website reported on Friday.

The authority said that it had contracted a major cyber security company to upgrade the online security systems for the websites, as part of its plan to develop online journalism in Egypt.

In statements to the press, the regulator said that recent decisions taken by the authority to appoint editors-in-chief to run state-run news websites, and to grant online journalists membership in Journalists Syndicate, show its intention to comprehensively develop online journalism in the country.

The statements added that the spread of rumours concerning the "permanent closure" of state-owned news websites "is an attempt to undermine the freedom of the press and media in Egypt."

"The partial closure is for a definite period dependant on the completion of the steps of securing and protecting the sites as part of the plan to develop the electronic media, develop advertising and services, and recruit cadres that could perform these tasks," the authority said according to Al-Ahram Arabic website.